Blindfold
by Rock-n-Round
Summary: In the midst of the Alice War, Ruka is forced to deal with more devastating news. "I'm blind?" "Yes, I'm afraid so." And just when the darkness never seemed more inviting, Ruka finds himself being pulled out—by none other than Hotaru Imai. RH, NM. #02
1. Night Sky

So right. I've been busy lately, and I expect to be next week too. Although I already have a quarter of the story planned out, I ain't going to post until I write at least 2 chapters in advance. That's just to be sure of the direction of the story, so I won't have to revise a story twice. This chapter isn't that long, kinda like a prologue chapter? The next few would be much longer, anyway ;)

This new version's less depressing. Much less. And the pace is much faster. It's more... exciting? And there are more twists and turns in the plot, so expect the unexpected, ne? :3 Some of the chapters stay pretty much the same, except for more thoughts and stuff. Each chapter now has symbolism in it as well. For example, 'Night Sky'. Any guesses to what that might mean? Chapter dedication to the first person that gets it right!

**_'Fate's Experiment'_** will be undergoing a minor revision as well. So sorry if my updates are slow...

Nonetheless, enjoy!

* * *

**...**

_**B**_**lindfol**_**d**_

_By Rock-n-Round_

**.**

**...**

**.**

**Chapter **_**1**_**: **

_**N**_**ight Sky**

**...**

**..**

_**H**_otaru Imai noticed that the sky outside had fallen, even though it was only late evening. It was painted a beautiful dark blue colour; dotted with the occasional whites of the clouds and the gold sparkle of the early stars. The cool night wind which entered through the little windows of the room made the stoic girl shiver unconsciously. She brought her jacket closer to her with her hands, crossing her arms soon after to help keep herself warm. Looking out of the window once again, Hotaru wondered why it was so dark—it was only late evening, after all. The skies seem to have an ominous touch to it somehow as well. Truth to be told, Hotaru loved the night-time; it was cool and quiet, and the darkness did much to calm her at times. The tranquil of a simple nightfall would make her sit on her bed and gaze out of the window for hours when she had been a little child. Silently, she thought about what the night would bring them—was their mission going to be successful? Or was it going to fail?

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Hotaru focused on the screen before her. To her left, she could see Natsume cautiously sneaking about hallways, looking for Mikan. On her right, Ruka had his back against the wall, resting while waiting for her escape signal. Tonight's mission was particularly important; Mikan's retrieval could put a stop to the Alice War—although the chances were slim. The Alice War had been going on for approximately four and a half years, if Hotaru remembered correctly. Four years ago, she remembered how it started; all the pain they were put through, all the challenges they faced and all the things they had to endure. Aside from being one of the masterminds behind all their battle plans, Hotaru was also trained as a nurse under her brother due to the lack of hands at the hospital, and she had seen more deaths than she ever would in her entire lifetime. Hopefully it would all come to a close soon, with this infiltration.

Mikan had been captured by the Anti-Alice Organisation half a year ago, and the AAO had held her captive ever since. They probably wanted her for her Stealing Alice, since they had lost Yuka Azumi to them a couple of years back. Hotaru figured that rescuing Mikan was a priority; the AAO might hurt Mikan, considering the fact that she can be an annoying loudmouth at times. That was not the only reason, Hotaru supposed, for Natsume and Ruka have been having trouble concentrating on tasks at hand recently. The two lads were busy worrying over the brunette, and Hotaru had to pretty much run the place together with Sakurano and her brother, Subaru. Hotaru still remembered that one time when Ruka had forgotten to call maintenance—the entire building almost blew up because of that.

Hotaru gave a small smile at that memory, and sighed when she thought about her best friend. Natsume and Ruka hadn't been the only ones worrying over her; Hotaru knew that she had also spent a great deal of time sitting alone in her dorm at night, silently thinking about Mikan's well-being. Was she alright? Did the AAO hurt her? Hotaru had known the girl for as long as she could remember—they were practically inseparable; the bond they shared was far greater than any friendship anyone else could have. The girl recalled those nights when the moon, the stars and the night sky had been her greatest friends, accompanying her through the sleepless night, giving her some form of comfort and solace amongst all the chaos from the Alice War.

The night sky was truly a friend indeed.

Closing her eyes, she reopened them again to reveal determined amethyst orbs. Hotaru Imai would get them all to safety today—including her best friend Mikan Sakura.

**…**

_**R**_uka had his back up against the wall. Peering over his shoulders, he strained his eyes to look over the corners of the wall. Good. There was no one in sight, which meant that Natsume was holding up just fine at the other side of the building. All he had to do now was to wait for Hotaru's signal for the big escape. Sliding down the wall, he sighed. As easy as that sounds, it really wasn't. Waiting was never easy. Waiting for things to come, waiting for things to end. He had no idea whether the war was really going to end just with the retrieval of Mikan; it certainly doesn't seem like it would.

Running a hand through his blonde locks, Ruka shut his eyes and let out a small sigh. He was tired of everything that was going on right now—the fighting, the missions, the stress, and something else that he had been afraid to accept for a long time now—Mikan's rejection.

Before the war had started, he had confessed to Mikan, knowing fully that Mikan was already in love with Natsume. Ruka wasn't stupid; he knew that Natsume would definitely end up with Mikan—after all, they had been fated to be together before they were even born. Ruka figured that his feelings for the brunette would eventually disappear and that time would heal his wounds, but he was wrong. To some extent, he had got over Mikan—he wasn't trying to fight with Natsume over her; he wasn't going to try and win her affection. He had given up long ago. However, there was still a small part of him that was reluctant to actually move on and fall in love with another girl. His heart still wrenched at the sight of his best friend and his old crush together, happy and smiling. Perhaps he wasn't ready to move on. Perhaps he hadn't actually gotten over Mikan yet. Perhaps he was just living a lie—living in his own world, shutting himself off from reality, and drowning in his very own illusion.

It was at times like this where Ruka sought comfort on his bed, staring at the ceiling, and simply just refusing to move. Or think, for that matter. It helped to calm him. Ruka would also sit in the bathtub for ages and ages, just laying in the warm water and thinking about what the future would bring all of them, what the past could do to haunt them, and what the present would bitch slap straight into your face. _Oh right, _Ruka sourly mused, _it would bitch slap harsh reality. _

The lad directed his eyes outside the window, watching as the leaves danced in the cold night wind. Ruka mutely noted that this was the first time in ages that he had time to sit and look out of a window, just simply taking in the view of the night sky and looking at the beauty of nature. Ruka loved the way the moon shone so brilliantly in the navy-blue canvas, outlining all objects under its vast hold. He watched as the grey clouds lazily drifted over the sky, and then covering the moon. A chill shot down Ruka's spine, causing him to rub him arms together. Ruka pressed his lips into a thin line—he wasn't cold. It was just an eerie feeling he got—an eerie feeling that something bad was going to happen tonight.

Shutting his eyes, Ruka chased away the thoughts. He had to focus on the retrieval mission. It was more important than his problems right now. Glancing at the communicator-cum-watch on his wrist, the blonde boy noticed that Natsume was taking longer than usual—way longer, actually. Did something go wrong over there? He wanted to go and find his best friend right now, but it was dangerous. Maybe it was best to stay in position and wait for Hotaru's orders. But what if Hotaru had been captured too? If that was the case, then maybe it would be best if he went to Natsume's aid now, and perhaps they could still salvage the mission and bring Mikan back. Ruka pondered over the two situations. What should he do now?

A scream could be heard from the other side of the building, followed by a loud explosion.

His question was answered.

He was going to find Natsume.

**…**

_**H**_otaru hated all of this—nothing was going right.

It was supposed to be a quick infiltration after getting rid of the enemies of the area, but unexpectedly, the Anti-Alice Organisation had recruited more people after the previous battle with them. Looking at the screen, Hotaru bit her lip and cursed inwardly. Natsume was having a hard time fending off the goons—his eyebrows were crinkled together, and sweat was pouring off his forehead. He looked ready to faint any time. But it couldn't be helped. The only reason why she hadn't told Ruka to go after Natsume was because she had just figured out who the enemy were actually going after.

It was actually Ruka Nogi himself.

The raven-haired girl had to admit; the enemies had read their moves perfectly this time. Second the Nastume, Ruka had been the one most affected by Mikan's capture. Also, he was a capable fighter and strategist. Knowing that Natsume was probably too strong and feisty for them to go after, the Anti-Alice Organisation had gone after a kinder and easier target—Ruka.

Hotaru fixed her gaze on Ruka's monitor. The lad was sitting on the floor, checking his watch. Suddenly, he snapped his head up. The girl raised a brow in alarm. What had happened? Hotaru glanced over at the other screen, where Natsume was supposed to be. Her amethyst eyes widened. The situation was not good. Natsume had just set off an explosion, and Ruka seemed to notice it. And if Hotaru guessed correctly, Ruka would go after his best friend.

And she was right.

In the screen, the blonde boy had just stood up and ran off. Immediately, the girl tried to get through to Ruka with her communicator-cum-watch invention. Pressing on the button, she spoke.

"Ruka?"

Through the monitor, Ruka seemed not to notice her voice. Hotaru decided to try again.

"Ruka? Can you hear me?"

Hotaru focused her eyes on the watch on his wrist. Crap. Of all times, her invention had to malfunction on her now. The girl cursed aloud.

If Hotaru was going keep the promise she made to herself, she would have to get everyone out of this place—and fast.

**…**

_**R**_unning along the paths, Ruka followed the scent of burning wood. By the way the smoke was rising abnormally; he could tell that Natsume had it set off. The explosion was probably a signal for everyone in the building to evacuate—something major must have happened for the raven-haired lad to send a warning. Ruka doubled his speed, and soon he could see the fire spreading out into the pathways. Activating his temporary barrier Alice, he braved through the flames and crumbled matter, and looked around frantically. He had to find Natsume soon. By the looks of the situation, the building would collapse in another hour. Scanning the area, he tried to look for the source of the flame, somewhere where the flames were the largest. After a moment, blue eyes spotted a massive fire lapping out a room in the corner of the hallway. Without any hesitation, his feet quickly ran towards it.

As soon as Ruka entered the room, he could feel the heat bearing holes through his barrier—it was getting drastically weaker. Clenching his teeth, the lad silently cursed. At the rate he was going, his barrier would probably wear out within the next ten minutes. Ruka dropped to his knees, barrier still intact, and crawled along the floor. Through the flames, he could already make out the figure of Natsume half-hugging and half-shaking a tattered Mikan. The blonde-haired lad could also see another person behind them, but the person's silhouette was unfamiliar to him.

Rolling over to avoid the crumbling ceiling, Ruka forced himself to stand up and focus on the unknown figure behind Natsume. His best friend certainly didn't seem to notice that anonymous man, and Ruka could vaguely make out a thin and long object being clutched in the hands of the figure. Instantly, his eyes widened in alarm, and his mind was thrown into a state of flurry. Ruka didn't know what made him do it, but he did it—he launched himself in front of Natsume and Mikan, arms thrown over the pair in a protective manner.

Ruka shut his eyes tightly, preparing himself for the worst. A split second later, Ruka felt a searing pain slash across his eyes and right arm, and an agonizing scream sliced across the burning room. Slumping onto the ground, he could feel a liquid seeping through his clothes, turning it a bright red colour.

An image of the calm, night sky flashed past his mind. Ruka found himself slowly relaxing, and eventually, he let the darkness embrace him.

**…**

_**C**_lutching the teleportation stone in her hand, Hotaru concentrated. She had already spent a whole fifteen minutes trying to activate the stone, but to no avail. Glancing over at the screen one last time, she saw that Ruka was already lying in a pool of his own blood, while Natsume had just taken out the enemy. If she didn't get all of them to the hospital soon, they would probably die from suffocation—and in Ruka's case, the loss of blood.

It was all up to her to decide their fates now.

Hotaru furrowed her brows, and tightened her grip on the teleportation Alice stone.

_Please work._

**…**

_**A**_ flash of white appeared for a brief moment before disappearing again, and Hotaru found herself kneeling in a pool of Ruka's blood. Realising that the stone had worked, Hotaru sighed in relief. Her head snapped up to look at Natsume.

"Hyuuga, I'm going to teleport all of us back to the Academy's hospital now."

The red-eyed lad locked eyes with Hotaru for a moment, showing his momentary gratitude towards the girl. He then nodded at Hotaru, indicating a positive response to her earlier statement.

Bringing Ruka's body close to her, she took one of Natsume's hands into hers and squeezed her eyes shut. Concentrating on the teleportation stone, the girl pictured the safe Academy grounds, sitting in the middle of Tokyo under the beautiful night sky.

Hotaru reopened her eyes.

The retrieval mission was a success.

* * *

Hm, so how was it? Was it better? Anyway, do drop by a review to tell me how I did! Any guesses to what 'Night Sky' is supposed to mean?

**_Review, ne?_** It makes me egg-cited.


	2. In-Between

**A/N: **I'm finally appearing again after 2 years of disappearance. Somehow I felt an attachment to this story so I wanted to continue it. Bear with me if I start to disappear again, but I want to write again- it's just that it may be hard to start. By the way, for the first chapter, Night Sky, the answer for what it symbolises is an escape to reality! So congrats to "muzikchic4eva", my returning chapter's for you! (If you still read this, that is...)

Enjoy!

* * *

..

_B_lindfol_d_

_By Rock-n-Round_

.

...

.

Chapter** 2**:

**In-Between**

...

..

_**R**_uka Nogi glanced around, admiring the beautiful scenery before him. Around him lay acres and acres of flowers, ranging from small, delicate baby breaths to large, bright sunflowers. He gave a small smile as he bent down to stroke a petal, while at the same time drinking in the aroma of the air. Silently, Ruka started to wonder where on Earth existed such a tranquil place now that the Alice War was ongoing. Straightening up again, he realised that there was no other signs of another being around—not even common insects and animals. Cerulean eyes narrowed.

_Wait a minute. Where is this place? _The lad was starting to worry a little. As picturesque as it was, the area was one that he had not seen before. Furthermore, there was no one around.

Just when Ruka was about to walk forward, he felt a presence behind him which emitted a familiar aura of energy. _An Alice! _He immediately jumped forward and whipped around, only to lock eyes with a familiar pair of beautiful crimson eyes. The lad could only gasp.

"A-Aunt Kaoru?"

…

_**S**_ubaru Imai inwardly furrowed his eyebrows, and ordered the nurse to hand him a towel. After retrieving the object, he sighed and wiped off the sweat that was beginning to slide down his square jaws. What on Earth was causing the blonde lad to be like this? The stoic man was beginning to worry about the outcome of this surgery.

Taking in a deep breath, Subaru closed his eyes and took a moment to compose himself. _No_, he thought, _Nogi will be fine. He has to be. _Subaru reopened his eyes. It was time for the hardest part of the surgery—repairing Ruka's eyes. Activating his healing Alice, Subaru focused his energy and assessed the damage. _Shit_, the man silently cursed. The weapon had managed to slice through the corneas and hit a nerve in the right eye. There was also a considerable amount of blood pooling around it. Subaru worked quickly, removing the red liquid and repairing the cornea. However, there was one thing that even his Alice cannot reverse—the single nerve that was disconnected.

The young man gritted his teeth. This was the best he could do for now. All he could do next was to wait for the blonde lad to wake up—if he ever would, that is.

…

"_**G**_ood evening, everyone." Sakurano greeted as he settled down in his usual spot in the meeting room. Narumi, Jinno and the High School Principal, Kazumi Yukihira, were all already seated. Each nodded in greeting to young man.

Kazumi cleared his throat. "Since we're all here now, I shall begin the meeting on deciding the next step of the Alice War. With the retrieval of my niece, I think it's safe to say we're at an advantage."

Narumi nodded in agreement. "According to the footage we've monitored with the help of Hotaru, the damage done to enemy territory is extensive. It would be best if we strike while the Organisation is still trying to get back on track."

Sakurano had to concur with that statement. However, he was still concerned with the state of their best agents. Placing his hands underneath his chin, the young man spoke up. "Hyuuga, Nogi, Imai and Mikan are all unconscious right now. Their injuries, especially Hyuuga and Nogi, are extensive. I have yet to discuss any new developments with the younger Imai, although I do remember her wanting to tell me something." He stopped to gather his thoughts. "In conclusion, I believe we should not make a move now."

The room was silent for a moment while everyone weighed their options. Sakurano rubbed his temples. Indeed, it would be advantageous if they are able to catch the Anti-Alice Organisation off-guard and weak as they are currently. However, they had to take into consideration the fact that they too, are struggling with their manpower. It seemed that the war was a battle of stamina now.

"Sakurano brought up an extremely valid point." Kazuki sighed. "However, I still hold strongly with the idea that we should end the war as quickly as possible. I'm afraid that if this drags out any longer, our people might be too tired to move onward."

Jinno's frog rattled as the teacher started to speak. "We should probably wait for that news the younger Imai has for us as well. She has proved to be quite the mastermind over the years, so it's probably important."

The High School Principal let out a sigh. Sakurano noticed how unusual it was for the normally composed man to show this much emotion to them. He seemed extremely tired as well. Even with his Longevity Alice, the appearance of dark eye bags seemed to contrast starkly with his pale skin, making him look gaunt and exhausted. The recent retrieval mission and possible prospect of failure had done much to stress the man. Now that Mikan Sakura is once again safe in their arms, Sakurano inwardly hoped that the High School Principal would get back to his usual self—he felt oddly unsettled at the thought of such a man losing his cool.

Sakurano was broken out of his thoughts when Kazuki spoke once more. "Alright. We shall wait for the younger Imai to awaken. I will inform all of you on the next conference soon." The older Yukihira stood up, and continued. "For now, the meeting is adjourned." With that, the High School Principal bade farewell to the others and turned to leave the room.

As Sakurano decided to leave, his cellphone rang. He subconsciously noted that the caller was Subaru and answered. "Hello?"

"Sakurano, are you free now? I have something to discuss with you," came the deep voice from the other end. Sakurano caught the underlying alarm in his voice almost instantly, and he frowned in worry—his best friend usually did not call him unless something needed immediate attention.

"Yes, I've just finished the meeting," the man looked at his watch, "and it's dinner time. Perhaps we could discuss this while we eat?"

"Alright," there was a slight pause, "I'll meet you at the cafeteria in ten. See you then."

"Sure, see you." A click signalled the end of the call.

Sakurano stepped out of the room. Silently, he wondered what disaster would befall them this time round.

…

_**R**_uka could not believe his eyes. Hesitantly, he spoke again. "Is that really you, Aunt Kaoru?"

Kaoru Hyuuga seemed equally shocked. Ruka noticed how her face suddenly turned from a mixture of shock and happiness to a grim expression. He was confused—was it not a good thing that she was still alive?

"Ruka, right?" Kaoru recalled watching over a blonde boy that was close to her son, Natsume, up here. Wasn't he fine a few days ago? She remembered watching Natsume and Ruka plan the retrieval mission, along with the stoic inventor girl Hotaru. "What are you doing here?" Kaoru asked in a voice which was nearing a hiss. "You're not supposed to be here. You're too young!"

The lad was scrunched up his face. "What does age have to do with me being here?"

"Ruka," the woman approached the lad, "do you know where you are?"

A short moment passed before Ruka shook his head slowly. Kaoru let out a frustrated sigh. Her fiery crimson eyes were now replaced with an emotion Ruka remembered seeing in pictures of Natsume's childhood—it was a motherly expression, full with concern and compassion.

"Ruka, you're in the world of the In-Between."

When Ruka did not reply, Kaoru took the liberty of explaining further. "The In-Between is a place that is neither heaven nor Earth. It is a place for confused souls to receive advice on whether to go back to the living, and for depressed souls to receive judgement on whether it is their time to pass on." Slowly, the lady took the lad's hands into hers. "Ruka, dear. It is not your time to go, so tell me why you are here."

It took some time for information to sink in. "So you mean that," the lad said the next line in a quieter voice, "I might be on the verge of dying?"

"That might be the case, but it is ultimately your decision to make."

Ruka could feel the intensity of the stare Kaoru was giving him, but he was too distracted by his newfound knowledge to care. What had happened to him before he arrived here? _Oh, right. The retrieval mission. _He remembered that he had thrown himself over Mikan and Natsume willingly in order to protect them. He inwardly gave a defeated laugh. Perhaps he was a bit of a masochist, after all.

"Maybe it is my time to go, Aunt Kaoru. The reason why I'm here is because I've saved Natsume's and Mikan's lives. Isn't that what I was supposed to do? To protect the two of them?" A cool breeze ruffled his blonde hair, causing them to whip over his eyes. Ruka looked at his feet, blue orbs filled with sudden sorrow. "Actually, Natsume's perfect for Mikan, so I'm not needed for Mikan's protection in the first place." The blonde lad clenched his fists, and turned to look into the field of wildflowers. "I'm not needed." He whispered, allowing his voice to be carried into the wind.

Kaoru was momentarily stunned by Ruka's sudden outburst. Since when has Ruka become such a negative person? From her observations, Ruka was a kind and caring child who fights for life—a boy who is not afraid to stand up for his peers, and not afraid to lead the way in the dark. It scared her how empty he suddenly seemed—his words held so much self-conviction. It was as if he truly believed he was no longer needed on Earth, like he believed everyone would be better off without him.

Kaoru took a moment to compose herself. She had to be careful with her words. She had to be patient with him. "Ruka, you don't know if you mean that. I know you don't. There are people who need you. Alice Academy needs you. Mikan needs you. Natsume—my son Natsume _needs_ you."

Ruka was not convinced. "Natsume has Mikan now, so it's fine."

"No, it's not!" Kaoru sensed that she was getting a little frustrated, so she calmed herself down before she moved on. "You know, when I see you from up here, I'm truly thankful that Natsume has managed to find a friend in you. I'm grateful that you were the first person who had not pushed him away, and treated him like a person who is capable of feeling." Kaoru approached the boy again, wrapping her arms around Ruka's shoulders. "That's why I know that he needs you, because you're the first person who touched him. Natsume may not say it out loud, but you're one of the two most precious people for him."

Ruka pondered over her words. He had long known that Natsume treasured him, and he was certain it went both ways. But Natsume had Mikan now. The both of them together were enough to fight everything—their love was just that strong. It was impossible for him to wriggle his way in. He was really, _really_ not needed.

"I know I am, Aunt Kaoru," Ruka started, "but sometimes people learn to move on and accept comfort in others. Besides, Natsume is strong. I'm sure he'll be fine. And Mikan," the lad trailed off, "she'll be happier that way."

At this, Kaoru started to feel a little irritated at Ruka's mindset. How could Ruka act so selfishly? There are people who care about him so much, why could he not see that?

"Ruka. Look at me." Ruka turned around, revealing blue orbs that were slightly wet. "Ruka, trust me when I say that your duty is not done. You still have a reason to live. Go back to Earth, go back to where you're needed. I won't approve of your request to pass on."

"But Aunt Kaoru, I'm really not needed." Ruka tried to stress again, only to receive a stern glare from the crimson-eyed woman. It reminded the lad of Natsume and the way he would look at Ruka if he had said something to offend the boy. Thinking about Natsume's intimidating face, Ruka unknowingly took a step back.

"Yes, you are needed." Closing her eyes, Kaoru concentrated on the space behind Ruka. Feeling a foreign force starting to form, Ruka turned around only to see a white vortex.

"That's a portal to the real world. You'll see what is needed to guide you inside there, child. That's the only advice I can give you. The rest is up to you." Kaoru enveloped Ruka in her arms once again in a goodbye hug, and then shoved the lad towards the opening of the vortex. "Goodbye, Ruka. Say hi to Natsume for me."

Ruka knew he could argue no longer with her. He would not win the fight, anyway. "Bye, I guess."

With an uncertain heart, he walked into the portal.

…

_**T**_he first sound Hotaru registered as she awoke was the faint sound of beeping. Groaning, she rolled on her side to stay as far away from the machine as possible, then proceeded to open her eyes. The girl blinked a few times and stared outside, realising it was already night-fall. _So I'm back at the Academy, at the hospital. _She sighed in relief. Mikan was back safe and sound now. She managed to save Natsume and Ruka too—

_Ruka. _Hotaru pushed herself up, ignoring the protests of her aching muscles. The stoic girl wondered how he was at the moment. If she recalled correctly, the lad had lost quite a bit of blood after the mission. She had a sudden urge to go see Ruka, and make sure he was alright. The girl let out a small huff at her situation. It was only a year ago that she had realised her feelings for Ruka—when he had been sent to head the retrieval attempt and failed miserably. She could remember how empty he was after he awoke from that month-long coma. Thinking back on it, she shuddered unwillingly. Hotaru had to protect him, to protect him from hurting himself further. That was the silent promise she made to herself since that incident.

Hotaru swung her feet to touch the ground, and stood up after wearing the shoes she found by her bedside. Just then, the door of her room clicked open, revealing a tired-looking Subaru.

"Oh. Hotaru, you're awake." The door clicked close, and the doctor walked to meet his sister. "How're you feeling?"

_Just peachy_, was what Hotaru wanted to answer. That was how she always spoke to her brother. It annoyed him and she had some fun. But, seeing his concerned face, she restrained herself and said instead, "I'm okay. I'm aching a bit here and there, but fine in general."

Subaru sighed in relief. "That's good. I'll heal you up later."

The stoic girl shook her head. "It's fine. Don't waste your energy, you kind of look like shit."

The man understood his sister's way of showing kindness, so he stayed silent at the insult. Pushing the topic aside, he said, "I'll be meeting Sakurano to relay some news. If you're up for it, it would be better if you came. It's concerning Ruka."

At that, Hotaru's ears perked up, but she tried not to let it show. "I'll come." She followed behind Subaru as he led the way. "How is he, anyway?"

"You'll find out later." That was the only answer she got.

Hotaru understood not to probe any further. The inventor bit her lip.

_Ruka, please be alright._

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! If there are any mistakes, feel free to point it out.

Thanks for reading and do drop a review, ne? :)


End file.
